Intel preps four-chip four-core Xeon Q4 debut

Low-voltage and "extreme" versions too

Intel will follow up Q4's quad-core Xeon DP debut with a low-voltage part in Q1 2007, it has emerged. The four-core server processors - codenamed 'Clovertown', will ship as the Xeon 53xx family, reports coming out of Asia claim.

Borrowing from the naming scheme introduced with the Core Duo mobile processor line back in January this year, Clovertown will initially ship as three mainstream E-class parts and a "performance optimised" X-class chip, we understand. All four chips use the Socket 771 interconnect introduced with the 65nm 'Woodcrest' Xeon 51xx series in July this year.

The E5310, E5320 and E5345 will be clocked at 1.60GHz, 1.86GHz and 2.33GHz, respectively. The X5355 is clocked to 2.66GHz. All four CPUs run over a 1066MHz frontside bus and contain 8MB of L2 cache, split between two core pairs that make up each processor.

Prices are said by Chinese-language site HKEPC to be $455, $690, $851 and $1,172, respectively when the CPUs are sold in batches of 1,000 chips.

The initial roll-out is set to be followed in Q1 2007 with the L5301, a 1.6GHz, 1066MHz FSB low-voltage part pitched at high-density servers and blades. Pricing is unknown. ®